Youths in the Niger Delta region have been charged to pick up the gauntlet and take advantage of opportunities on the noble objectives of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board
to develop technical capacity in the oil and gas industry through collaboration with oil and gas companies and also embark on specific projects that generate employment and other benefits to the oil bearing communities.
In a Keynote Address delivered at the opening of the First Niger Delta Young Professionals Economic Summit held at Le Meridien Hotels and Golf Resort, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on the theme “Building Sustainable Entrepreneurship in the Niger Delta Region”, the Executive Secretary, Engr. Ernest Nwapa who was represented by the General Manager, Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Daniel Afiakure expressed the Board’s readiness to align with any initiative to develop professionals as part of its mandate to maximize utilization of Nigerian human resources in all activities in the oil and gas industry.
The Executive Secretary reiterated that the clarion call on the Nigerian youth stems from the NCDMB Sensitization and Enlightenment Workshop held only recently for the Akwa Ibom zone where he had the opportunity to engage youths of the area on the enormous opportunities in the Nigerian oil and gas industry and how the Board is striving to optimize their participation.
Engr. Nwapa further observed that the summit was a continuation of the Board’s constructive engagement with critical stakeholder groups on how Nigerian talents and resources can be collectively harnessed for maximum local value creation and sustained legacies for generations yet unborn. He advised the youths to prepare themselves to get trained and certified through the Board’s database and also avail themselves of the proposed Nigerian Oil and Gas Industrial Parks Scheme in the nine oil producing states of the Niger Delta to be fully integrated as community entrepreneurs in the oil and gas value chain.
Declaring the summit open, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief (Dr.) Godswill Akpabio called on young Nigerians to watch out and deviate from character flaws that could deter them from sustaining any meaningful success recorded in life. Gov. Akpabio who gave the advice equally linked flaws in character to the failure of some past public office holders in the country who after leaving office could not sustain their riches by not being able to maintain their fleet of vehicles but resorting to using tricycles.
The Akwa Ibom Chief Executive averred that it is not a tragedy when a nonentity fails, but it is a tragedy when a potentially achieving person fails after much investment in education due to a flaw in character. The Governor further attributed the success of his administration in the past six years to total dependence on God as he enjoined delegates of the summit to allow God go before them in their endeavours, dreams and aspirations while urging them to be patient and bid God’s time to avoid any mistakes.
Gov. Akpabio lauded the organizers of the summit for bringing to Akwa Ibom cerebral resource persons outside the country and challenged them to open up subsequent events to Nigerian youths from other regions and climes. He was particularly grateful to Niger Delta youths for their support to the current administration of President Goodluck Jonathan declaring that by this support the youths in the region have indicated to other Nigerians that the days of restiveness and other social vices are gone.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of Niger Delta Young Professionals, Mr. Moses Siasia commended the government and good people of Akwa Ibom State for the successful hosting of the maiden Economic Summit for Young Nigerian Professionals of the Niger Delta region that has made the state trustees of prosperity. He also stated that the government of the state has given hope to the youth through its policies and programmes in terms of infrastructural development and the educational sector in line with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
